Associations between early life stress, self-reported traumatic experiences across the lifespan and leukocyte telomere length in elderly adults

Katri Savolainen; Johan G. Eriksson; Laura Kananen; Eero Kajantie; Anu Katriina Pesonen; Kati Heinonen; Katri Räikkönen

doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2014.02.002

Associations between early life stress, self-reported traumatic experiences across the lifespan and leukocyte telomere length in elderly adults

Katri Savolainen^*
, Johan G. Eriksson
, Laura Kananen
, Eero Kajantie
, Anu Katriina Pesonen
, Kati Heinonen
, Katri Räikkönen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

62 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Early life stress (ELS) poses a risk for mental disorders and aging-related diseases. Accelerated biological aging, reflected in shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL), may underlie these risks. We examined whether objectively recorded ELS and retrospectively self-reported traumatic experiences across the lifespan are associated with LTL in later adulthood. Of 1486 participants, 215 had been exposed to ELS, namely to temporary separation from both parents in childhood. Participants self-reported emotionally or physically traumatic experiences across the lifespan at a mean age of 63.2 years. LTL was measured using a quantitative PCR method at a mean age of 61.5 years. Separation or self-reported traumatic experiences were not associated with LTL. However, separated participants who self-reported traumatic experiences had shorter LTL. Our results suggest that while ELS or self-reported traumatic experiences are not per se associated with LTL measured decades later, ELS may in combination with self-reported traumatic events be associated with accelerated biological aging.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	35-42
Number of pages	8
Journal	Biological Psychology
Volume	97
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2014.02.002
Publication status	Published - Mar 2014
Externally published	Yes
Publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

This study was supported by the Emil Aaltonen Foundation , Helsinki University Research Funds , the National Doctoral Programme of Psychology , the Academy of Finland; the Ministry of Education , the British Heart Foundation , the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research , the Finnish Diabetes Research Foundation , the Finnish Medical Society (Duodecim) , Finska Läkaresällskapet , Samfundet Folkhälsan , the Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation , the Juho Vainio Foundation , the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation , the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation , the Sigrid Juselius Foundation , the Jalmari and Rauha Ahokas Foundation , and the Finnish Foundation for Pediatric Research .

Keywords

Aging-related diseases
Biomarker
Cellular aging
Early life stress
Telomere length
Traumatic experiences

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Neuroscience
Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology

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10.1016/j.biopsycho.2014.02.002

Cite this

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title = "Associations between early life stress, self-reported traumatic experiences across the lifespan and leukocyte telomere length in elderly adults",

abstract = "Early life stress (ELS) poses a risk for mental disorders and aging-related diseases. Accelerated biological aging, reflected in shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL), may underlie these risks. We examined whether objectively recorded ELS and retrospectively self-reported traumatic experiences across the lifespan are associated with LTL in later adulthood. Of 1486 participants, 215 had been exposed to ELS, namely to temporary separation from both parents in childhood. Participants self-reported emotionally or physically traumatic experiences across the lifespan at a mean age of 63.2 years. LTL was measured using a quantitative PCR method at a mean age of 61.5 years. Separation or self-reported traumatic experiences were not associated with LTL. However, separated participants who self-reported traumatic experiences had shorter LTL. Our results suggest that while ELS or self-reported traumatic experiences are not per se associated with LTL measured decades later, ELS may in combination with self-reported traumatic events be associated with accelerated biological aging.",

keywords = "Aging-related diseases, Biomarker, Cellular aging, Early life stress, Telomere length, Traumatic experiences",

author = "Katri Savolainen and Eriksson, \{Johan G.\} and Laura Kananen and Eero Kajantie and Pesonen, \{Anu Katriina\} and Kati Heinonen and Katri R{\"a}ikk{\"o}nen",

note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by the Emil Aaltonen Foundation , Helsinki University Research Funds , the National Doctoral Programme of Psychology , the Academy of Finland; the Ministry of Education , the British Heart Foundation , the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research , the Finnish Diabetes Research Foundation , the Finnish Medical Society (Duodecim) , Finska L{\"a}kares{\"a}llskapet , Samfundet Folkh{\"a}lsan , the P{\"a}ivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation , the Juho Vainio Foundation , the Yrj{\"o} Jahnsson Foundation , the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation , the Sigrid Juselius Foundation , the Jalmari and Rauha Ahokas Foundation , and the Finnish Foundation for Pediatric Research . ",

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language = "English",

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AU - Savolainen, Katri

AU - Eriksson, Johan G.

AU - Kananen, Laura

AU - Kajantie, Eero

AU - Pesonen, Anu Katriina

AU - Heinonen, Kati

AU - Räikkönen, Katri

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by the Emil Aaltonen Foundation , Helsinki University Research Funds , the National Doctoral Programme of Psychology , the Academy of Finland; the Ministry of Education , the British Heart Foundation , the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research , the Finnish Diabetes Research Foundation , the Finnish Medical Society (Duodecim) , Finska Läkaresällskapet , Samfundet Folkhälsan , the Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation , the Juho Vainio Foundation , the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation , the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation , the Sigrid Juselius Foundation , the Jalmari and Rauha Ahokas Foundation , and the Finnish Foundation for Pediatric Research .

PY - 2014/3

Y1 - 2014/3

N2 - Early life stress (ELS) poses a risk for mental disorders and aging-related diseases. Accelerated biological aging, reflected in shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL), may underlie these risks. We examined whether objectively recorded ELS and retrospectively self-reported traumatic experiences across the lifespan are associated with LTL in later adulthood. Of 1486 participants, 215 had been exposed to ELS, namely to temporary separation from both parents in childhood. Participants self-reported emotionally or physically traumatic experiences across the lifespan at a mean age of 63.2 years. LTL was measured using a quantitative PCR method at a mean age of 61.5 years. Separation or self-reported traumatic experiences were not associated with LTL. However, separated participants who self-reported traumatic experiences had shorter LTL. Our results suggest that while ELS or self-reported traumatic experiences are not per se associated with LTL measured decades later, ELS may in combination with self-reported traumatic events be associated with accelerated biological aging.

AB - Early life stress (ELS) poses a risk for mental disorders and aging-related diseases. Accelerated biological aging, reflected in shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL), may underlie these risks. We examined whether objectively recorded ELS and retrospectively self-reported traumatic experiences across the lifespan are associated with LTL in later adulthood. Of 1486 participants, 215 had been exposed to ELS, namely to temporary separation from both parents in childhood. Participants self-reported emotionally or physically traumatic experiences across the lifespan at a mean age of 63.2 years. LTL was measured using a quantitative PCR method at a mean age of 61.5 years. Separation or self-reported traumatic experiences were not associated with LTL. However, separated participants who self-reported traumatic experiences had shorter LTL. Our results suggest that while ELS or self-reported traumatic experiences are not per se associated with LTL measured decades later, ELS may in combination with self-reported traumatic events be associated with accelerated biological aging.

KW - Aging-related diseases

KW - Biomarker

KW - Cellular aging

KW - Early life stress

KW - Telomere length

KW - Traumatic experiences

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DO - 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2014.02.002

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C2 - 24530884

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SN - 0301-0511

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SP - 35

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JO - Biological Psychology

JF - Biological Psychology

IS - 1

ER -

Associations between early life stress, self-reported traumatic experiences across the lifespan and leukocyte telomere length in elderly adults

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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